The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued full guidance to the NHS in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on Endoluminal gastroplication for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

Description

In patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, the acidic contents of the stomach are able to travel backwards into the gullet (oesophagus), causing a burning sensation or pain (heartburn) or awareness of an acidy sensation or taste. This happens because the ring of muscle that keeps the stomach contents down isn’t working properly.

Endoluminal gastroplication uses a long camera and special instruments inserted through the mouth into the gullet. The surgeon uses the instruments to stitch and fold the lower end of the gullet where it joins the stomach to make the junction between the stomach and the gullet smaller, and so help prevent backwards movement of the stomach contents.

OPCS4.6 Code(s)

The NHS Classifications Service of NHS Connecting for Health is the central definitive source for clinical coding guidance and determines the coding standards associated with the classifications (OPCS-4 and ICD-10) to be used across the NHS. The NHS Classifications Service and NICE work collaboratively to ensure the most appropriate classification codes are provided. www.connectingforhealth.co.uk/clinicalcoding